Equivalent Exchange
by The General Electric
Summary: Sasuke's Chidori triggers something within Naruto that's buried in all Shinobi from the moment they first open their eyes. Surrendering the strength of Demons, Naruto will go on to Know the World and all it hides. Not a Crossover or a Super Fic
1. The Gates of Samsara

**This story is based on a story nugget provided by nobody102, writer of Scorpion's Disciple. (Which is awesome fyi, go check it out/end shameless plug.)  
>This is not a crossover with Fullmetal Alchemist, the only element coming for Awakara-Sensei's work is the idea of the gate, and it's still not exactly the same. Hope I portrayed that well enough.<br>Anyway, without further ado about nothing, lets start this puppy up.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One - Do You Want To Know The World?<strong>

* * *

><p>It was, jarring.<p>

One minute he was in the Valley of the End, Sasuke's hand through his chest. The next, there was nothing but white.

"What the hell happened? Did Sasuke really...?"

"Really what?" A voice called out. "Kill you? No, you're not quite that lucky."

Spinning around faster than he thought he was capable of, he saw the strangest figure he'd ever seen.

Well now, that wasn't true, there was really not much strange about the figure, he looked relatively normal, but he did not remember creating any clones since he'd gotten there.

The Doppelganger smirked at him, twisted and dark, something he had recently come to associate with Red Clouds, the smirk looked so out of place on his face, it was unsettling.

"So you're already here huh? That's... strange. Wasn't expecting to see you here for another 5 years at least." The Not-Naruto murmured.

"What do you mean?"

"Hmmm, then again, it doesn't seem like you came here willingly, oh well, fortune favors the gate I suppose." The mirror interrupted.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto growled. That sunnavabitch was not only henge'd like him, but he had the balls to ignore him. _'No one ignores Uzumaki Naruto.'_

"Who the fuck are you?" The blonde roared.

Starting slightly, the clone blinked, looking at Naruto, as if he had just realized he was here. Then he laughed. "Oh, now that is a good question. It's a tricky one though. Very, very tricky."

"How so?"

"Well you see, there isn't just one word for me, I'm not that easily quantified."

"Quanti... what?"

"Quantified, means I'm not quite so easy to describe."

"Oh... so then, what are you?"

"I am everything, I am nothing. I am the all, I am the one. I am the truth, I am the lies. I can be your Heaven. I can be your Hell."

"So what? You're God?"

"No, no. Not quite. Consider me, your own little personal Jesus. Let me show you why." A banging noise, like metal slamming into the ground rang through his ears, as a gigantic shadow cast itself over the two.

Black metal. Deep polished black metal. Carved and sculpted with intricate patterns and words, a great tree covering the majority. The thing was at least as tall as the Hokage Tower, if not taller.

"What is that?"

"You want to save your friend? Save the little Uchiha from himself?" the Clone taunted.

Naruto nodded, rendered speechless by the construct dominating the world of white.

"Do you want to know the world, and everything in it? Do you want strength enough to push back any foe? Protect your loved ones?"

"I do." Naruto whispered quietly, turning back around to the figure. Although in the empty space, he may as well have been yelling.

"Then, know the world you shall."

The construct creaked, and Naruto turned around as he felt a draft hit his back. It was a gate. Tow creaking gates easing open to nothing. There was absolutely nothing beyond the doors, just a pitch black darkness

"What is this?"

"The World."

And as suddenly as the gate had appeared, there were eyes, hundreds, if not thousands, of pairs of eyes. Gray iris' surrounded by a series of concentric circles, and staring straight at him. And then he noticed the hands. The black, wispy, hands, grabbing his body. Pulling him into the pitch.

"Wait! What are you doing? Stop it, STOP IT!"

The clone snorted derisively. "Be quiet Shinobi. You wanted this. I asked you if you wanted it, you said yes." He paused eyes sharpening and glowing red. "Deal with your decision and showa little dignity, Ningen yo."

He struggled, he fought, as the hands drew him closer and closer, as the gate swung shut inch by inch. In a meaningless bid for escape. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

And the gates slammed close.

* * *

><p>And as soon as it started, it was over.<p>

He was back in the white, out of that gate. What had happened, what was that sensation?

"It was like; all the knowledge in the world... was just stuffed into my head at once." He muttered. "That can't be possible. It isn't possible."

"You're right."

Spinning around, Naruto once again came face to face with the clone. But this time he was different, not as serene as detached as when they'd first met. This thing was something different, the thing that had let him be dragged into that gate. Something he really had no chance of ever understanding.

"It shouldn't have been possible. But there are 9, just 9, unique little beings out there, who have something more than the rest of you little humans. Something more to pay" Smirking the clone eyed Naruto. "But you know what that is, don't you?"

"The Bijuu." He whispered reverently. "What do they have to do with this?"

"Equivalent Exchange, Ningen. Nothing is free." He smirked. "You wanted to know the world, now pay up."

Naruto started as his jacket and undershirt were torn apart, the Yondaime's Shiki Fuin seal appearing, glowing an angry red.

And then the pain hit.

A relentless unending pain, as a storm of demonic Chakra was sucked from the seal, bit by bit, it felt like an eternity as the Chakra was torn from him. He could hear the fox, hear it howling in misery as it was released from one prison, and shoved into another. He could hear his own screams, taste the blood and bile in his mouth, and over it all barely hear the now feral looking clone's voice.

"This is the price for power, real power. The Fox was a crutch, a shortcut, you relied on far too much. You no longer have access to its strength, you will no longer heal inhumanly quickly. You'll have to get by on your own strength Ningen, as is the way God intended."

And then it stopped. The gate was gone, the white had ended. He was back. Back in the Valley of the End.

Sasuke's back turned to him, as the younger boy stumbled away.

"Oi, Teme. We aren't done here."

* * *

><p>Sasuke stumbled slowly as he moved away from Naruto's body. His eyes bleeding.<p>

What had he done? Naruto was dead? No, no he hadn't meant to. Naruto's Rasengan was set to collide with his Chidori. They were going to deadlock again, go back to square one. Why? Why had Naruto pulled back? Let his Rasengan fade away?

He knew he said he was going to kill Naruto. To gain the Mangyeko he had to. The guilt of killing your best friend, in cold blood. To gain the same eyes as _Him_.

But he couldn't. Naruto needed to survive. He had to. His brother in all but blood, his brother where it mattered, was supposed to live, achieve his dream as Hokage. Live a long life, spawn an untold amount of little Dobes.

But now, Sasuke had destroyed any kind of future where Naruto would reign as Rokudaime, become a family, gain the family he deserved.

Clutching his stomach he heaved out the contents of his stomach. Oh he had done it alright. He had gotten those same goddamn eyes, he certainly felt enough guilt.

Standing up straight he looked towards the statue of Uchiha Madara, his fore father and the one man who could stand against the Shodai Hokage.  
>Was this the future he envisioned for his clan? Two members left. Brothers out to kill each other, both having killed their closest friends for power, was that what he had expected of one of the most powerful clans in the world?<p>

He doubted it.

He started walking, away from Konoha, away from Naruto.

He was a missing nin now. A traitor, and a killer.

"Oi, Teme." No. No it couldn't be. "We aren't done here."

Turning slowly, he felt his Sharingan flare into life as he looked back at where he'd left the body at the edge of the river. It was real. He wasn't dead.

There, standing straight and proud, not at all corpse like, his ruined jacket hanging in shreds off his shoulders was Uzumaki Naruto.

Alive and well. Chakra rolling off of him, in waves.

His Iris', a deep blue, ringed by a series of concentric circles.

"Come on Sasuke, I told you." Naruto growled, his eyes narrowing. "I'm dragging your sorry ass back home, even if I have to break every single bone in your body to do it."

* * *

><p><strong>Oh shit, did I just give Naruto the Rinnegan?<strong>

**Well, sort of. How can I, sort of, give some one the Rinnegan? Well we will get to that, eventually. For now, just know that I am content in what I am doing, and sure in my execution of the idea, err somewhat.**

**Hey, I don't plan my stories out, but hopefully it will be something you guys have never seen before.**

**Speaking of, we can pretty much nix all hope of**_ Four Front War _**and **_Spin me a Ninja Yarn _**ever going any further than they are. Not to say the same for the rest. Finally figured where I'm going with **_Playing With Reality _**2nd Chapter of **_Kidpool the II and the Philospher's Stone _**is half way to completion and **_Cliche _**Chapter 3 is just about ready to drop. So excited. Anyway, what did you think? Did you like, looking forward to more? Drop me a line and tell me what you think, don't be shy now.**

**And again, thanks to nobody102 for letting me do this, if you haven't already, go check out **_Scorpion's Disciple_**. Is epic sauce by the gallon. Also, should mention, the whole "**Knowing the World**" thing isn't mine and belongs to Undead Artist and is part of his Story **_Ace of Spades_**. Another awesome fic which is well worth the time. Go read now.  
><strong>


	2. Parting of the Ways

**And Chapter 2 is here, much quicker then I thought, but hopefully it's still a high quality piece of literature.**  
><strong>To<strong> **those Expecting Naruto to just start spamming Shinra Tensei's left right and center, you're going to disappointed.  
>Nagato couldn't, so why should Naruto.<br>All the eyes really do here is crank Naruto's chakra sensitivity up to 11 and allow him to see how his opponent's chakra flows  
>in preparation for their Jutsu.<strong>

**Anyway, without any further preamble.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: Parting of the Ways<br>**

* * *

><p>He could feel the Chakra rolling off of himself, no scratch that, he could <em>see <em>the chakra flowing off of himself. He could see how the Chakra in Sasuke's Sharingan was flowing, well he assumed that was what he was seeing, he didn't really understand what had happened in the last few minutes.

_"This is the price for power, real power. The Fox was a crutch, a shortcut; you relied on far too much. You no longer have access to its strength; you will no longer heal inhumanly quickly. You'll have to get by on your own strength Ningen, as is the way God intended."_

Well that he understood. No more Kyuubi, no more super healing. Which meant no more taking Chidori's to the chest.

"So, Sasuke, one more chance. Do I need to force you to come back, or are you willing to surrender quietly?"

He saw his teammate start slightly, his eyes darting towards the border and then back at Naruto.

"Naruto... I'm glad. I never wanted to kill you, no matter what I said, your death was never something I truly desired." He sighed. "But I can't come back Naruto, Konoha can't offer me the strength I need to defeat Itachi, the freedom to look for him. I have to do this Naruto, I swore to my clan that I would end Itachi, I have to do this Naruto, I'm sorry."

"So you've said." Naruto sighed. "But I'm not here as a Shinobi of Konoha Sasuke, I'm here as your friend, your _brother_, to bring you home to our sister and our Teacher." He sighed as he removed his headband, tucking it in his pocket. "I'm not sure what's happening to me Sasuke, I don't know why I'm not dead right now, but I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. Come on Teme-baka, we're both out of Chakra, Taijutsu only. Whaddya say?"

Smirking slightly as his Sharingan swirled Sasuke answered back with a quick nod. A second later, they moved.

Only to be stopped as Naruto was impaled.

"What...?"

"Naruto!"

"Now now, Naruto-kun. You are an infuriating little nuisance." A smooth voice whispered in his ear. Turning his head tiredly, he stared into the cold grey eyes of Yakushi Kabuto.

"You..."

"Yes, me. There aren't any Sannin here to save you this time, and Orochimaru has deemed you an annoyance to be eliminated." Naruto watched Kabuto's hand as he was kicked off the kunai in his gut, he watched as a green glow seeped out of Kabuto's hand, solidifying into a solid green blade. Was this how Sasuke felt when he fought Rock Lee, able to see the attack coming, but not able to even begin avoiding it? "It's nothing personal, ya know, even if you did but a Rasengan through my gut, but orders are orders, so can you die now please?"

* * *

><p>Sasuke started, it wasn't supposed to happen like this.<p>

He saw Naruto's new eyes, whatever the hell they were, widen knowingly, as he stared at Kabuto's right hand, charging an attack meant to kill the blonde.

His body moved on its own. Three seals, Ox, Rabbit, Monkey. Grab wrist. Charge Chakra with Lightning. Then charge.

He saw Kabuto turn, eyes widen in surprise as Sasuke came up to him, hand blazing.

Scalpel met Chidori as Naruto fell to the side, forgotten.

"What do you think you're doing Uchiha?" Kabuto ground out, as he felt the Chidori start to overpower his Chakra scalpel. "I'm on your side. I'm helping you!"

"I don't care what Orochimaru has ordered, as long as he wants me as part of his village, Uzumaki Naruto is off limits, is that understood?" He snarled, Chidori blazing.

"He's not going to let you leave. As long as he's alive Uzumaki will hunt you down to the ends of the world." Kabuto chuckled. "For Itachi to die by your hand, Uzumaki must die by mi-urk..!"

"As much as you like talking about me Kabuto, you seemed to have forgotten I was standing right behind you." Naruto spat out, hand through the man's chest, Rasengan dying out.

"This... this isn't happening. You... a no name Genin? You can't be my killer... YOU CAN'T BE!"

"Too bad. I am."

Kabuto chuckled, his body slumping as his strength left him, blood flowing freely down his chin. "Too bad... huh?" a wet slurping sound was heard as Naruto threw the spy off his arm onto the rocky shore. "Perfect summation... of this world of Shinobi... Naru...to...kun."

And Yakushi Kabuto's life ended. Dead at the hand of a no name Genin.

* * *

><p>Naruto stared into Kabuto's lifeless eyes. The son of a bitch had haunted him since the Chunnin exams, then they had fought outside of Tanzuka Gai. If not for Tsunade, Kabuto would've ended him there, and if not for Sasuke...<p>

"Dobe..."

Speaking of, Naruto looked over at his troubled teammate, as the onyx eyed boy stared at him with worry in his eyes. Oh right, Kabuto was his first kill, he should be distraught or something. He wasn't though. Why waste his time over the bastard? Kabuto didn't deserve it.

"Don't worry Teme, I'm fine."

He heard the Uchiha sigh in relief, it seemed the idiot really did care for him, as impossible as it seemed. Uchiha Sasuke had opened himself up to bonds of friendship and brotherhood, to Naruto of all people. It boggled the mind.

But the boy was troubled, he sought out power to avenge his clan. Naruto understood that, really he did. But to go to Orochimaru, one of the biggest traitors in Konoha history? He could never understand that.

But Sasuke had saved his life, first in Wave against Haku, and now again, against Kabuto. As illogical as it was, Naruto owed Sasuke and he could only see one way to pay the boy back.

He just knew he was going to regret this.

"Promise me Sasuke." he said, staring the Uchiha right in the eyes; "Promise me that you won't let that son of a bitch use you as a cheap suit."

"Naruto..."

"Goddamint Sasuke, promise me. Cause I swear to God if you let Orochimaru take control of you, I'm gonna drag you ass through Wind Country on your face!" Naruto shouted.

"I promise, Naruto. I wasn't planning on it anyway."

"You have 10 minutes Sasuke, go! And when Itachi's dead, we'll meet back here, and finish this fight. You got that Teme!"

"Tch, it'll just be a waste of time you know. It's obvious I'll win. A deadlast like you, could never beat a prodigy like me." Sasuke shot back in jest, turning away, running towards the border.

"You wish Teme..." Naruto's last words before he slipped into unconsciousness were wasted, the last Uchiha of Konoha had already left, his untainted Hiatae fallen in his wake.

* * *

><p>Naruto stared at Jiraiya incredulously.<p>

"The hell you say Ero-Sennin?" He spoke quietly. "Give up on Sasuke? Like hell I'm giving up on him you dirty old bastard!"

"Uchiha Sasuke abandoned Konoha of his own free will, which is bad enough on its own, but the fact that he's defected to Sound and Orochi-teme makes it 100 times worse." Jiraiya sighed, hand massaging the bridge of his nose "There's no redemption for him anymore. You need to accept that."

"What the hell do you know? The only time you ever met him was when he was unconscious! What the hell would you know about him?"

"Everything. I was Orochimaru's teammate you know, he was the genius prodigy and I was the talentless dead last." "I tried making excuses for him too, when he first defected. But after 10 long hard years, I've finally come to accept that there are no excuses for him, just as there are no excuses for Sasuke. If you ever want to be a proper Shinobi you'll accept that and forget him."

Forget Sasuke? Give up on him? Like Hell! He'd promised Sakura after all, a promise of a lifetime, that he'd bring their brother back. Just like he'd promised Sasuke, that he'd meet him again, and that they'd come home together.

"If that's what it takes to be a proper Shinobi... Then I'd rather die!" he spat vehemently. "Sasuke is nothing like Orochimaru! So don't you dare compare the two you asshole! We'll meet again, I'll bring Sasuke back... and when I do, I'm gonna laugh in your face and piss in your sake!"

Jiraiya stared at him, an unbelieving expression on his face. "You have got to be the biggest idiot I have ever met... fine. You want to chase that traitor around, fine, be my guest. If experience is what you need to prove I'm right then experience you'll get." the old hermit declared at the top of his voice. "From now on, you! Uzumaki Naruto, are my god damned apprentice! I'll train you to be the strongest goddamn Shinobi in Konoha, so you can not only survive against the Akatsuki and Orochimaru and the Uchiha, but when I'm proven right, and i will be proven right, about your little boyfriend I'm going to laugh in your face and dress you in a Spandex suit just like Gai's, for a year, before chucking you in the forest of Death for 3 weeks! You got that Baka-Gaki?"

"Bring it you Scum sucking Old Perv!"

And that was the day The Toad Sage Jiraiya took on his Seventh, and final, student.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, on the other side of Konoha in the halls of the Hokage Tower, fierce Green Eyes stared hard into Dark honey brown ones.<p>

"Train you? Now who are you to request that of me little girl?" Tsunade spoke challengingly, staring at the pinkette standing before her.

"I'm nobody Hokage-sama." Sakura said sadly. "Nobody at all. Ever since I obtained my hiatae, I've done nothing but hide behind the strength of my teammates, and that's no longer good enough. Please, Hokage-sama, train me! I don't want to be Nobody anymore!"

Quirking an eyebrow, the Slug Sannin considered the girl before her. "You understand that if I agree to this, and that is a big if, you will have to do everything I say without question. You will have to endure breaking your physical and mental limits on a daily basis, with zero complaint, and that if you do anything less, I will drop your sorry ass like the pots of 5 week old Ramen cups in Naruto's kitchen?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" The girl bit back resolutely.

"And even knowing all of that, you're still willing to ask me to train you to be the best damn Kunoichi you can be?"

"Without question."

Smiling softly the Godaime Hokage turned, and began walking away, Sakura's face dropping at the perceived dismissal.

"We start on Monday." Tsunade muttered softly, stopping at the door at the end of the corridor. "Meet me at Training ground 7 at might just make a ninja out of you yet."

Sakura's face lit up, as she bent low. "Arigato, Tsunade-Sensei!"

* * *

><p>The dark, dank underground village of Otogakure no Sato was cold, near freezing, lit only by torches bracketed along the walls. That wasn't how it was in Orochimaru's throne room, even if the lighting was the same as the rest of the caverns, it was noticeably warmer, sweltering really compared to everywhere else.<p>

"Welcome to Oto, Uchiha Sasuke, I hope the facilities will be to your liking." Orochimaru hissed, staring down the Black Eyed Teen striding into his throne room. "Kabuto's death was a great loss, but still, you came to me willingly, that pleases me greatly." Sasuke grunted slightly his Sharingan flashing on, causing Orochimaru's grin to widen. "Tell me, Sasuke-kun, are you ready to gain power unimaginable?"

Sasuke glared hard into the Sannin's snakelike eyes resolute, Sharingan spinning wildly.

"I am."

Smirking wildly, the Snake Sannin spoke. "Then welcome to my ranks Sasuke-kun. Take the weekend to prepare yourself, for on Monday I am going to drive you into the ground."

* * *

><p><strong>Are we done? Holy shit we're done! That's chapter 2 in the bag, and Jesus did this give me some trouble. I was stuck on Kabuto's death for 3 days just wondering weather or not I should do it, and if I got his character right or not, and I really don't think I did that cold mofo justice, but well, I did my best, and I can always re-edit it later.<strong>

**I hope you enjoyed the last 3 scenes of all the Sannin taking on team 7, I really wanted to leave the first over-arc behind and get us to Shippuden as fast as possible. So next time we get to Naruto's triumphant return to Konoha.**

**If I screwed something up, or missed some details, drop me a line. I survive on criticism and reviews.**

**Thanks for Reading - Jordan out!  
><strong>


End file.
